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The Issue

For more than two decades, governments and development agencies around the world have focused on reducing poverty. Although tremendous strides have been made, approximately one in four people in developing countries continues to live below the World Bank’s international poverty line.

Wise public investment is key to reducing poverty and addressing inequalities within society. That requires timely and accurate data to measure progress and plan for investment, as well as for good analysis and policy application. In much of the developing world, however, the lack of appropriate local information about the poor hinders development planning and programs, and constrains efforts to monitor change. It also impedes efforts to measure progress toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

For more than a decade, IDRC has supported researchers in 15 countries of Asia and Africa who have developed, tested, and implemented a community-based poverty monitoring system (CBMS). This book, and its accompanying website and enclosed CD, argue that good public policy choices for empowering and uplifting the poor are best made when local authorities and communities work together and are guided by sound data and evidence-based analysis. This is key to ensuring effective public spending and greater public accountability.

The Research

The research has shown that CBMS is not a turnkey solution. It requires adaptation to specific on-the-ground conditions and the political, economic, and social environment. And as the various country experiences show, real benefits quickly accrue to communities as well as to their governments, from new crucial services such as schools and sanitation facilities to health and employment programs. CBMS gives communities a voice in decision-making.

The Philippines: From cradle to national implementation

Beginning in the province of Palawan, CBMS has spread to 52 of the country’s 81 provinces. The goal: 100% coverage by 2010. Local governments use CBMS data to prepare annual investment plans and to prioritize projects for poverty reduction, to evaluate the impacts of their projects, and to prepare for emergencies. And the researchers note, CBMS has also increased local governments’ transparency and accountability.

Vietnam: Focusing on basic needs in communes

“Because of this census, we have information we have never had before,” says a commune chairman in the very poor Nho Quan district. “Based on this data we can make plans.” Among those plans and programs has been vocational training in such areas as traditional crafts to generate employment, assistance to improve inadequate housing, and the provision of agricultural inputs to boost food production. The data is also helping Vietnam monitor progress toward the MDGs.

Cambodia: Improving local statistics and governance

When the CBMS survey in Kbal Snoul village showed how many children did not attend school because none was accessible, a donor stepped forward to build a new school within walking distance. CBMS results have helped poor Cambodian communities attract donor assistance. They have also enabled communities to better deal with their own problems, including domestic violence.

Burkina Faso: Empowering the poor

Because of the high level of illiteracy, communicating the CBMS results back to the community posed a particular challenge in Burkina Faso. The solution: translate the data into easy-to-interpret drawings posted at village assembly offices and into the local languages.

Senegal: Supporting the PRSP

Developed to support the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) process, the Senegal CBMS demonstrates the importance of community validation of data.

For more case studies and further details on those presented above, visit web.idrc.ca/in_focus_poverty.

The Lessons

Regardless of where it has been carried out, CBMS has permitted the acquisition of a richer body of information and data on the welfare of the poor. It has also enabled poor local communities to assert their needs to their local and national governments and influence budgetary allocations. As such, CBMS has become a direct instrument for empowerment and actual poverty reduction.

Lessons learned about the enabling conditions

• Decentralization facilitates the adoption of CBMS.
  
  
• Political commitment is key to sustainability.
  
  
• Public participation is important.
  
  
• CBMS is cost-effective.

Lessons learned about CBMS design and implementation

• Partnerships between researchers, government officials, and communities are essential.
  
  
• Enlisting and orienting the community determines success from the outset.
  
  
• Selecting indicators and developing survey tools require research.
  
  
• Adequate training should not be underestimated.
  
  
• Data collection and processing must be done in a timely manner.
  
  
• Validating the data is essential.
  
  
• Dissemination is crucial.

Lessons learned about the benefits of CBMS

• CBMS empowers the community by building its capacity to participate in diagnosing the problem and offering solutions.
  
  
• CBMS improves the allocation of resources by making it easier to prioritize interventions.
  
  
• CBMS increases equity in resource allocation.
  
  
• CBMS helps to monitor the impact of projects and programs, thus contributing to poverty-reduction efforts.

Document(s) 1 of 10